The Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo is a Roman Catholic diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 located in Laredo, Texas

Laredo, Texas

Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...

. It was founded on July 3, 2000. The San Agustin Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Laredo. James Anthony Tamayo

James Anthony Tamayo

James Anthony Tamayo is the current bishop of Laredo, Texas. He was ordained a priest on July 11, 1976 and ordained a bishop on March 10, 1993, becoming auxiliary bishop of Galveston-Houston and titular bishop of Ita...

 is the current bishop of the Diocese. It covers an area of 10,905 sq. mi. and has 222,250 members. It has 51 priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

s, 29 deacon

Deacon

Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...

s, 32 parish

Parish

A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

es, and 23 missions

Mission (Christian)

Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...

.

History

On July 3, 2000, the Diocese of Laredo was created by His Holiness Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

 and made Auxiliary Bishop James Anthony Tamayo

James Anthony Tamayo

James Anthony Tamayo is the current bishop of Laredo, Texas. He was ordained a priest on July 11, 1976 and ordained a bishop on March 10, 1993, becoming auxiliary bishop of Galveston-Houston and titular bishop of Ita...

, from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...

, the First Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of Laredo. The Laredo diocese included portions of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi

Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on March 23, 1912.The past bishops of the diocese are:*Dominic Manucy *Peter Verdaguer y Prat...

 and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio encompasses in Texas.The archdiocese includes the city of San Antonio and the following counties: Val Verde, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Uvalde, Kinney, Medina, Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Atascosa, and McMullen.On...

, namely the counties of Dimmit, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Maverick, Webb, Zapata, and Zavala. On August 9, 2000, the Apostolic Letters erecting the diocese and installing Bishop Tamayo were formally read by the Apostolic Nuncio in the presence of 25 bishops, over 200 priests, 50 deacons and 3000 other faithful who gathered for the occasion at the Laredo Civic Center.

Parishes

Parishes of the Diocese of Laredo that were formerly part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. In the order of their founding, they are:

• 1859-Our Lady of Refuge, Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
  
  
• 1881-Our Lady of Guadalupe, Carrizo Springs, Texas
  Carrizo Springs, Texas
  Carrizo Springs is a city in and the county seat of Dimmit County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,655 at the 2000 census.The name of the town comes from the local springs, which were named by the Spanish for the cane grass that once grew around them. It is the oldest town in Dimmit...
  
  
• 1882-Sacred Heart, Cotulla, Texas
  Cotulla, Texas
  Cotulla is a city in and the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,614 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1868, Polish immigrant Joseph Cotulla arrived in La Salle County and eventually established a large ranching operation...
  
  
• 1917-Sacred Heart, Crystal City, Texas
  Crystal City, Texas
  Crystal City is a city in and the county seat of Zavala County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,190 at the 2000 census. The mascot of Crystal City High School is the Javelina....
  
  
• 1917-St. Joseph, La Pryor, Texas
  La Pryor, Texas
  La Pryor is a census-designated place in Zavala County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,491 at the 2000 census.The town is named for Col. Isaac T. Pryor, who in the 1880s owned a ranch that included the site of the community....
  
  
• 1918-Immaculate Conception, Asherton, Texas
  Asherton, Texas
  Asherton is a city in Dimmit County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. U.S. Highway 83 runs through Asherton....
  
  
• 1966-Sacred Heart, Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
  
  
• 1967-St. Joseph, Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass, Texas
  Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
  
  

High schools

• Saint Augustine High School
  Saint Augustine High School (Laredo, Texas)
  Saint Augustine High School is a Catholic Diocesan co-educational private high school located in Laredo, Texas. Grades 8th through 12th grade are taught in a Christian environment. St. Augustine is the only Catholic high school in Laredo. There are approximately 650 students attending St....
  
   (Diocesan) Founded 1927

Elementary and Middle schools

• Blessed Sacrament School
  Blessed Sacrament School (Laredo, Texas)
  Blessed Sacrament School is a Catholic co-educational private elementary and middle school, located in Laredo, Texas. Grades PK through 6th are taught in the school. In 2007 there were 146 students attending Blessed Sacrament School.-External links:*...
  
   (Parochial) Founded 1960
• Our Lady of Guadalupe School
  Our Lady of Guadalupe School
  Our Lady of Guadalupe School is a Catholic co-educational private elementary school, located in Laredo, Texas. Grades PK through 6th are taught in the school. In 2007 there were 149 students attending Our Lady of Guadalupe School.-External links:*...
  
   (Diocesan) Founded 1904
• Saint Augustine Elementary School (Diocesan) Founded 1928
• St. Peter Memorial School
  St. Peter Memorial School
  Saint Peter Memorial School is a Catholic co-educational private elementary school, located in Laredo, Texas. Grades PK through 6th are taught in the school. In 2007 there were 142 students attending Saint Peter Memorial School.-External links:*...
  
   (Diocesan) Founded 1925
• Mary Help of Christians School
  Mary Help of Christians School
  Mary Help of Christians School is a Catholic co-educational private elementary and middle school, located in Laredo, Texas. Grades PK through 8th are taught in the academy. In 2007 there were 673 students attending Mary Help of Christians...
  
  (Private) Founded 1935